A Lot of People Owe Corey Feldman An Apology

If you’re like me this week, you’ve got to be wondering: Where are all the apologies to Corey Feldman?

There are many inside the fevered swamps of Hollywood and outside of it who should be lining up in front of a mic to say two simple words to the outspoken actor:

“I’m sorry.”

Let’s start with the most recent development: Fox News reported earlier this week that the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office confirmed a key statement that was made publicly a few weeks ago by Feldman on the Today show:

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office public information officer Kelly Hoover told Fox News on Tuesday night in an emailed statement, “Following the recent inquiries into the Sheriff’s Office interview of Mr. Feldman in 1993, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office conducted an additional review for any stored items remaining from the Michael Jackson investigation. In a container which included the original reports from the investigation, the Sheriff’s Office located some detective working copies of audio recordings made during the investigation. A copy of Mr. Feldman’s interview was located. The recording is being turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department. Due to the fact that this case involves the alleged sexual abuse of a child, we are unable to comment further and any documentation or evidence related to this case is exempt from release.”

The sheriff’s department originally said after Corey Feldman’s Today interview, “Our records do not indicate that he named any suspects.” It was a statement that cut into his credibility, especially considering the combative nature of the back and forth between Feldman and Lauer during the October segment:

The interview then got contentious, especially when Lauer said, “In all fairness, though, we’ve been down this road before with you, and you have promised in the past to name names.”

“Never,” Feldman replied.

[…]

“Why do you need $10 million?” Lauer interrupted. “Film students make movies for fractions…”

“That’s a film student,” Feldman cut in. “We’re talking about a theatrical release.”

[…]

“You just told me that this is still prevalent in Hollywood, so every day you wait, every day you try to raise money, I would imagine, you believe children are still being abused by pedophiles in Hollywood,” Lauer said. “So why are you sitting down talking to me? Why aren’t you sitting down talking to the police right now?”

Feldman recently lowered the $10,000,000 goal for the movie he wants to make about the alleged pedophile ring down to $1,000,000. According to his wife Courtney, “We believe this is a much more realistic goal at this time, as we only have a month left on this campaign and we cannot extend it.”

Judy Haim, the mother of Feldman’s longtime friend the late actor and alleged sexual abuse victim Corey Haim, claimed at the time of the Today show interview that Feldman was a “scam artist” because he’d been promising to expose a lot of people since her son died in 2010 from pneumonia but hadn’t – at least not until days later on the Dr. Oz show:

Both Feldman and Haim discussed their abuse openly on their 2007-2008 reality show The Two Coreys:

In reality, Feldman has been pretty consistent, was screaming about predatory sexual abuse in Hollywood long before anyone else was, and has been naming names – presumably in 1993, when he was interviewed by the police during the Michael Jackson investigation, in his 2014 book (albeit under a fake name), and just last month. And he’s maintained his story for decades, even in the midst of ridicule by skeptics like former View co-host Barbara Walters in a now-infamous 2013 interview where she accused him of “damaging an entire industry”:

Now that – in the middle of the “Me Too” wave – it appears that the pieces of Corey Feldman’s longtime stories about the alleged sexual abuse of children in Hollywood are falling into place, will apologies follow from Haim’s mother, Walters, Lauer, and other doubters follow? I wouldn’t hold my breath on it, especially from the now-disgraced Lauer. He’s gonna be a little busy for a while.

Ultimately for Feldman, it may not matter. Especially if those 1993 audio tapes ultimately end up vindicating him.

‘A Tale of Two Coreys’, a Lifetime movie about his friendship with Haim and their time in Hollywood, premieres on January 6th. Feldman was the executive producer.